


A Single Rose Amongst Brambles

by StrandsofNehn



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Anora POV, F/M, Fluff, I like to think they grow to love each other, POV Female Character, fluffy fluff, there's all sorts of love out there
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-01
Updated: 2016-01-01
Packaged: 2018-05-10 23:59:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 799
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5605921
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StrandsofNehn/pseuds/StrandsofNehn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Her husband is an odd one. She's not sure if he's more or less so since the day she married him three years ago. Of one thing she is sure, she no longer minds so much, either way.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Single Rose Amongst Brambles

 

Alistair is a... kind husband. He is so very much like his brother he never knew, her first husband, that it sometimes hurts. Other times, however, he is quite opposite. And there are other times, still, he is so... kind that it catches her so completely off guard that she has to berate herself later. He surprises her. More, as time passes rather than less. He evolves past what she expected of him the day they married. He becomes a fair ruler and the people care deeply for him.

It was bittersweet discovering that his surprising wit and mutterings (against proprietary) form a marvelous ground to grow policy. They and his various other ideas fuel her own, imbecilic as they often can be-- as they often are. Not that she would ever tell him. She suspects he knows, however. He is kind in that, as well.

It very much grates on her nerves at times. He knows she is capable of most anything and yet he insists in treating her... kindly but more than that. She doesn't understand it. He treats her as a doting husband would upon a pregnant wife, which she is not. Which she will never be. She will never be sure if that is a defect in herself or fault of Cailan. She tries not to dwell. Alistair however, has just as much a chance at fatherhood as she does motherhood, through no fault of her own. It is a... perhaps bittersweet comfort.

She doesn't understand why he insists on treating her so... kindly. She sometimes muses it is just to stay in her good graces, or to garner favor for something else later. Lately, though... lately she's wondered if it is just because Alistair is, to a fault, kind.

"Anora."

She lifts her gaze from the flower gardens below that her husband tends to, realizing that the roses stand by themselves now.

"My King."

Alistair raises an eyebrow at her. "Lost in thought? I waved at you. Twice.” He laughs, he does so a lot. "I thought I had better check on you when you denied me my fourth daily scowl."

She feels her lips twitch; it doesn't bother her as much as it used to. "I thought, perhaps, to move you to only thrice daily."

"Ah, I wonder what I have done to deserve such a boon from my fair Queen. Watch, one day I'll have grown on you so much I'll have move past scowls and it'll be rewarding smiles."

She scoffs, but her heart tightens a bit. "You may try, husband. You will find you have better luck if you would acquiesce to my-"

"All right."

"Alistair, you didn't even let me finish."

His lips curl, and his hands cradle her own, "I apologize. I interrupted, but may I take a guess as to what policy you are referring?" Insufferable fool. "The new policy that Lord What's-his-name-"

"Bann-"

"The one you invited to tea with us, with the busty wife and overachiever daughter."

"Lady Johanna _is_ quite accomplished, she has remarkable knowledge of-"

"Anora, if that is the policy you would like me to take on, I will."

She frowns at her husband. "You... You only said no initially because you didn't like them. Alistair-"

He holds up a finger and makes a face, "Not only. True, I disliked the thinly veiled implications he made about you, in your presence, in our home, but." He exhales and relaxes his hand back into tracing circles on her palm. "But, beyond that, his ideas were sound and tie into what I have been wanting to achieve for some time. We'll invite him back, offer to help him if he helps us. We could use another voice in the alienage recovery plan."

His new found political prowess, while not her own, is still more impressive than Cailan's ever was. Still, he insists on a level of silliness in his politics. A level that she is now used to. To be so insulted by the nobles ambitions because they insulted her is ridiculous. Idiotic, unbecoming and absolutely one of her favorite things about him. A kind King is he, and a strong Queen is she. She is able to see more of Mahariel's wisdom in their match than initially.

Her husband is kind, but maybe, that does not spawn all his motivations. Perhaps, she chose to remain blind to that.

"I... thank you, My King."

She's not sure what expression her face holds, and she's long stopped caring to control it absolutely in Alistair's presence. His face though, his face holds something... forlorn? He takes in a breath and produces something red and velvety and even more beautiful up close than it was from the window.

"Anora, I... well. Do you know what this is?"

**Author's Note:**

> First complete fic of the year! This was so easy to write and it felt fabulous. Let me know what you guys think! In my mind, this universe canon has Mahariel gone to Par Vollen with our favorite qunari. 
> 
> Comments, kudos, crutique - always lovely and incredibly helpful! Love very much! Happy new years :)


End file.
